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Tempura Kondo: Master Fumio Kondo’s Elevated Tempura Experience in Ginza – Perched on the ninth floor of a Ginza building, Tempura Kondo represents the pinnacle of Japan’s beloved deep-frying art form, where master chef Fumio Kondo has spent decades perfecting his craft.
This isn’t your typical tempura shop—it’s a theatrical dining experience where vegetables take center stage alongside seafood, each piece fried to golden perfection at the counter before your eyes.
Key Highlights
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- 4.4-star rated tempura restaurant ranked #21 among 3,139 Ginza establishments
- Master chef Fumio Kondo specializes in vegetable-focused tempura alongside premium seafood
- 9-seat counter offers intimate, theatrical dining with chef interaction
- Legendary sweet potato tempura cooked to caramelized perfection is a signature dish
- Reservations absolutely required; hotel concierge booking highly recommended
- Open Monday-Saturday with lunch (12:00-1:30 PM) and dinner (5:00-8:30 PM) service
- Luxury pricing at ¥10,000-20,000 per person for omakase-style set courses
- Located on 9th floor of Sakaguchi Building, 5-minute walk from Ginza Station
- Vegetarian-friendly options available with advance notice
- Expect 1.5-2 hour dining experience with 10-15 tempura pieces served individually
With a 4.4-star rating from 265 reviews and recognition among Tokyo’s finest tempura destinations, this restaurant offers an unforgettable culinary journey that justifies its luxury price point and challenging reservation process.
Tempura Kondo Ginza: Fine Dining Tempura Worth the Reservation Wait
Tempura Kondo stands as one of Ginza‘s most celebrated dining destinations, ranking #21 out of 3,139 restaurants in the district.
Chef Fumio Kondo’s innovative approach elevates tempura from comfort food to fine art, with a particular focus on seasonal vegetables that showcase his unique cooking technique.
The intimate counter seating creates an engaging atmosphere where diners can watch the master at work, observing his precise movements as he transforms premium ingredients into delicate, crispy masterpieces.
The restaurant’s philosophy centers on maximizing each ingredient’s natural flavor through careful temperature control and specialized oil blends.
Unlike traditional tempura shops that emphasize seafood, Kondo-san dedicates equal attention to vegetables, often surprising first-time guests with sweet potato, corn, and other seasonal produce that rivals the prawns and fish in both presentation and taste.
Location & Access
Tempura Kondo occupies the ninth floor of the Sakaguchi Building at 5-5-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061.
The restaurant sits in the heart of Ginza’s luxury shopping district, surrounded by department stores, high-end boutiques, and fellow culinary establishments that cater to discerning diners.
Getting There
Reaching this ninth-floor destination requires a bit of navigation, but the payoff is worth the effort:
- Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Hibiya Line, Marunouchi Line): 5-minute walk from Exit B5
- Higashi-Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Toei Asakusa Line): 3-minute walk from Exit A1
- JR Yurakucho Station: 10-minute walk from the central exit
The building entrance may be easy to miss among Ginza’s towering structures, so look for the Sakaguchi Building signage.
An elevator whisks you to the ninth floor, where the restaurant’s understated entrance awaits—a fitting prelude to the refined experience inside.
Menu Highlights & Signature Dishes
The menu at Tempura Kondo revolves around omakase-style set courses that change with the seasons, featuring approximately 10-15 pieces of tempura served one by one.
| Menu |
Lunch菫 (Sumire) ￥9,900 Dinner藤（Fuji）￥16,500 ( ※ Prices include 10% consumption tax) |
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Chef Kondo orchestrates each meal like a performance, pacing the courses to alternate between vegetables and seafood while building flavor intensity throughout the experience.
Signature Tempura Selections
The sweet potato tempura has achieved legendary status among regular diners, cooked for an extended period at lower temperatures to caramelize the natural sugars within.
The result is a crispy exterior that shatters at first bite, giving way to a creamy, almost custard-like interior with concentrated sweetness.
Chef Kondo often serves this signature piece early in the meal, setting a high bar for everything that follows.
Corn tempura showcases summer’s bounty with kernels that burst with natural sweetness, while the prawn pieces demonstrate perfect technique—the meat stays tender and succulent beneath a gossamer-thin coating.
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Other seasonal highlights might include asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, conger eel (anago), and whatever premium ingredients the chef sources that morning from Tsukiji market.
The Tendon Experience
Many guests conclude their meal with a tendon (tempura rice bowl), where select pieces rest atop steaming white rice and receive a drizzle of the restaurant’s specially formulated sauce.
This satisfying finale transforms the refined tempura experience into comforting soul food, proving that even elevated cuisine can deliver pure, simple pleasure.
The contrast between the crispy tempura and fluffy rice creates textural harmony that leaves diners satisfied but not overly full.
Dining Experience & Ambiance
The moment you enter Tempura Kondo, the intimate scale becomes immediately apparent—this is counter seating only, with approximately nine seats arranged in a horseshoe around Chef Kondo’s cooking station.
The close quarters foster an engaging atmosphere where conversation flows between the chef, his assistants, and guests who share this communal yet refined experience.
Counter Theater
Watching Chef Kondo work is mesmerizing.
His practiced hands move with economy and precision, testing oil temperature, applying batter in delicate strokes, and timing each piece to achieve that perfect moment of doneness.
He often explains ingredients and techniques in Japanese, though the language barrier rarely diminishes appreciation for his craftsmanship.
The rhythmic sounds of sizzling oil and the aromatic waves of frying tempura create a multisensory experience that engages diners beyond taste alone.
The ambiance balances formality with warmth.
While this is undeniably fine dining with luxury pricing, the counter setting prevents stuffiness—you’re seated close enough to neighboring diners that a sense of shared experience develops naturally.
Dress code leans smart casual, though many guests arrive in business attire given Ginza’s corporate surroundings.
Facilities & Services
The restaurant accepts credit cards and offers table service (or rather, counter service) with attentive staff who replace your plate, replenish tea, and ensure smooth pacing throughout the meal.
Alcohol is available, including sake pairings that complement the tempura’s delicate flavors without overwhelming them.
Reservations are absolutely required—walk-ins face near-certain disappointment given the limited seating.
Many international visitors book through their hotel concierge, a popular and effective strategy mentioned frequently in reviews.
The restaurant operates Monday through Saturday with two service periods: lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM and dinner from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
Sunday remains closed, so plan accordingly.
The vegetarian-friendly menu can accommodate dietary preferences with advance notice, though the set course format means limited customization.
The ninth-floor location offers no particular view, but the focus stays firmly on the counter and the culinary theater unfolding there.
Insider Tips
Book as far in advance as possible—serious food enthusiasts reserve months ahead, particularly for prime dinner slots.
Lunch typically runs slightly more affordable than dinner while maintaining the same exceptional quality.
If your hotel lacks a concierge service, consider using reservation services that specialize in Tokyo’s top restaurants.
Arrive on time!
The counter format means late arrivals disrupt the carefully orchestrated service for all guests.
The chef begins preparing once everyone is seated, and your tardiness affects fellow diners’ experiences.
Pace yourself and consider the tendon finale—it’s tempting to eat every piece immediately, but the rice bowl provides a satisfying conclusion if you’ve saved a bit of appetite.
Some guests request lighter portions or skip the bowl if they feel full.
Learn a few basic Japanese phrases or bring a translation app.
While Chef Kondo and staff have experience with international guests, speaking even simple Japanese enhances the cultural exchange and shows respect for this traditional craft.
Practical Visitor Information
- Budget expectation: Plan for ¥10,000-¥20,000 per person depending on the course selected and beverage choices. This firmly places Tempura Kondo in the luxury category, reflecting both the premium ingredients and the master chef’s reputation.
- Dining duration: Expect to spend 1.5 to 2 hours for the full experience. The paced service and multiple courses require patience, so don’t schedule tight appointments immediately afterward.
- Payment and contact: Credit cards are accepted. For reservations, call +81 3-5568-0923 or visit the official website at tempura-kondo.com. English language support may be limited by phone, making hotel concierge assistance particularly valuable.
- Accessibility: The ninth-floor location is elevator-accessible, but the intimate counter seating may prove challenging for guests with mobility limitations or those requiring wheelchair access.
Are you ready to experience tempura elevated to its highest form?
Tempura Kondo awaits with Chef Kondo’s masterful technique, seasonal ingredients at their peak, and an unforgettable front-row seat to culinary artistry.
The reservation challenge and premium pricing reflect genuine exclusivity—this is tempura perfected over decades, served in an intimate setting where every detail matters.
Will you savor the legendary sweet potato or discover a new favorite among the seasonal offerings?
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